My first grow, rubbermaid grow box. please critique/help!!!!

Discussion in 'Micro Grows' started by stellaballa1, Oct 22, 2010.

  1. I am doing my first ever grow: an Auto AK47 x Auto NYC Diesel lowlife. (plant is supposed to grow approx. 10"-14" high)

    I bought two 15 gallon storage containers and one ten gallon storage container. (bottom container right side up, middle container upside down and sealed tightly to bottom one. Middle container also has the bottom, or technically the top now, cut out. Top container, 10 gal., upside down and sealed with foam window insulation strips so it's easy to remove for watering, ect). Measurements: 1' x 1'8" x 3'9"

    To reflect light, I used 2 coats of Krylon (for plastic) black spray paint, followed by 2 coats of Krylon (for plastic) flat, white spray paint.

    I had trouble finding a fan. All the department stores/radio shack/ect. in my city had gotten rid of the fans and replaced them with heaters since its getting cold out. I found some computer fans at radio shack, but I didn't even want to begin attempting to re-wire something like that, nor did I have the budget. I ended up finding a small heater (about 6" long x 6" tall x 3" wide) that also had a "fan only" mode. It's kind of bulky but I got it to seal in the box as an exhaust fan by cutting a 6"x6" hole and using some seam sealant. This brings about one of my problems, I am not sure how I am going to keep light from escaping out of a 6x6 hole. I am currently brainstorming a way to rig up a black tube, kinda like my intake tube described below, to keep light from escaping. I realize the exhaust fan I have isn't the best, but it was on sale for $9.99 (originally $29.99) and I figured if it wont work as an exhaust fan, or I find something better, I can use the heater to heat my room this winter haha (fan, or possibly just the heater?, is 120 volts, 10 amps, and 60 Hz) I don't know if that helps explain anything but it's the only informational numbers I could find on the box.

    I don't have an intake fan, just a black pvc pipe with two 90 degree angles so no light escapes. if I need air intake I have another, large fan that I can put in front of the pvc pipe and let it blow air in (I assume this will work?).

    I ended up buying 4 daylight CFL bulbs that are 60 watt equivalents (14 watts actually) and are 5000k. I think this should be enough light/heat. These bulbs are attached to a power strip thats hanging from the top of the box. This way I can raise/lower them so they are exactly 2 inches above the plant at all times. I'm not sure what they're called but I have two light sockets that split into 2 at the end and plug into the power strip. Almost like an upside down Y. I put a little diagram on the picture I attached. This way the light covers more of the plant.

    I also got a thermometer/hygrometer to put in the box to regulate temperature/humidity.

    For soil I just got miracle grow organic choice potting soil. its 10-5-5 and made from completely organic ingredients. These include: composted bark, peat moss, poultry litter, and "organic wetting agent?". I've read good reviews and bad reviews on this soil, but I figured it would at least work for the first 2 weeks, and if necessary I can attempt to CAREFULLY transport the plant to a different soil brand or add more nutrients or whatever will make my baby grow (still have to do a little research). I havne't invested in a pH checker yet.. But from other posts I've read that this MGOCPS should have a solid pH level of 6.2-7.0 for at least the first 2-4 weeks.. Any suggestions on this topic would be greatly appreciated as well.

    I don't know how well this setup will work, as this is my first grow. I've researched pages and pages of information and it was hard to come up with a final conclusion on what to use because it seemed like every website had 40 different opinions on soil, lights, fans, germination, ect. So I just took everything I learned in the past 10 days and bought what I thought would work best. I didn't have much time to prepare because as soon as I got my seed yesterday I started germinating it, (paper towel method) because I would like it to be flowering by christmas. I still have a lot of research and critiquing to do to my set up, but I figured this would work for at least a few days after I plant the seed, as I am in a hurry to get this grow started due to limited time. I got everything for under $70 so it's about as cheap as I could make it.

    Any suggestions/tips would be GREATLY appreciated. After my seed germinates (assuming it does), I think i'll start a grow journal, that way if it doesn't work I can look back to exactly what I did and see where I went wrong, so I can do better next time. I'll post some pictures up to once I get the grow box completely assembled, which should be tomorrow afternoon sometime. I started the germinating the seed about 15 hours ago so I'm hoping by tomorrow night, or saturday sometime, the root will have popped and I can plant. Like I said, any helpful hints/tips on ANY of the subjects would be awesome!! Thanks guys!! (and sorry for my lack of drawing skills. Hard to use paint with a mousepad lol)

    Hopefully me in 2 1/2 months: :smoking: :yay:
     

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  2. Alright well first off i would look into getting kellogs patio plus soil instead of mircale grow. Its a way better soil and its only 5 bucks for a big bag, they usually have it at home depot or lowes, its this big yellow bag. Also your most likely going to need more light. You look at the actual watts on the bulb and you need 100 watts per plant and 50 for each plant after that. You only have 4 14 watt so thats only 56 watts. If you have problems with temperature i would add another passive intake. It usually takes 2 passive intakes with a good exhaust.

    I would also start reading these training techniques and start to practice them. It will increase your yield a lot.
    http://forum.grasscity.com/plant-training/122936-how-lst-low-stress-training.html
    http://forum.grasscity.com/plant-training/48363-scrog-method.html
    http://forum.grasscity.com/plant-training/122559-how-fimming-topping-made-easy.html
     
  3. Good thinking on putting a second intake valve, I'll definately do that... I'll also look for the Kellog's soil, only read good things about it. As far as the lights go... This might be a stupid question, but how does the amount of watts actually affect the growing of the plant? I mean I understand the more watts the more lumens, and I am NOT trying to prove you wrong here, just going to state my reasoning (hell I could be completely wrong on this, but from reading this is the understanding I get).

    You want 2500-3000 Lumens per sq. ft. per plant. (3000 L being the best). So here is my math... I have one lowlife, autoflowering plant in a 1'8" x 1'1" grow space. Equivalant to 1.66666667' x 1.083333333'.. a total of 1.80555 square feet. each of the 4 lights give off 800 lumens. So 3200 total lumens.. 3200L/1.80555sq.ft.= 1772.3 Lumens per sq. foot. About 800-1300 lumens short.

    Now, from my understanding (again could be extremely wrong), this means that it's 1772.3 lumens per square foot if your lights are 1 foot above the plant. my lights will be, let's say 6 inches above the top of the plant at all times. so that = 1/2 foot. Take 1772.3/.5 and that equals 3544.6 Lumens per sq. ft... Or even if I kept them 3 inches from the plant at all times, 1772.3/.25= 7085 lumens/sq. ft...

    Like I said this could be completely wrong, but with how small of a growspace I have, I think if I got 4x26 watt 6500k bulbs it would get to hot in my box and my exhaust couldn't keep up. If what I stated above is incorrect, and you don't think 4x26 watt 6500k's will be to hot in that growspace, I will definately go look for them. I just don't really want to go back out shopping :), too busy :smoking: lol
     
  4. And thank you for the links as well! I love the looks of the LST method. Unfortunately after researching, I found it's pointless to use the LST method on autoflowering plants, because they have such a short vegetation period, and go straight to flowering pretty much. But my next order will be regular, full size plants, and I'm going to test out the LST method.. Looks extremely worthwhile. :)
     
  5. well what i would do is get 100 watt equivalents. CFL's aren't going to put out much heat as long as ventilation is good.

    you dont need an intake fan, as passive intakes create negative pressure in the growspace. that means that the hot air inside will get pulled out and effectively exchange the air with fresh outside air.

    the setup really isnt bad. post up some actual pics so we can get a better look at what youre dealing with.
     
  6. Okay, I'm getting dang close to having it all assembled. I just ended up returning my 14 watt bulbs to Home Depot, and buying some 26 watt, 6500k CFL's at walmart for cheaper haha. I also ran into a nice gardening store today I didn't know existed and picked up a bag of Happy Frog soil and got rid of the Miracle Gro. This stuff looks legit, has almost everything. Perlite, peat, humus, lime, everything!! you should check it out, have yet to find a forum post on any website that doesn't have 100% great things to say about it.

    So that being, I am just gettin my box finished up here, waiting for some sealant to dry.. In the mean time, I could use some help.. In the top of my box, I have my exhaust fan, which measures approx. 7.5"x5"... kinda a bulky fan (only one I could find on short notice, but it will work), I attached a pic of the top 10 gallon container. I have it seam-sealed in there nicely, only problem is I have nothing big enough (such as black PVC pipe) to cover it up so light wont escape. If I construct some kind of 7.5"x5" cardboard vent (or whatever) and have two 90 degree angles, and paint the inside black, will it keep the light out????? or any other suggestions? it's the only part that lets any light out/in what-so-ever.

    Last Q--> will silver colored duct tape reflect light decently??
     

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  7. You mean aluminium tape? i've seen some micro-grows used that tape and provided decent reflectivity.

    You can probably even go for something called Reflectix found at home depot (less than 10$ a roll).
     
  8. paint the inside flat white, Its second best if you cant get mylar. From experience, I've found out that mylar inside such a small concealed space raises temps, I had heat issues took of the mylar and stuck to flat white paint and my temp went down about 5 degrees. just my 2:smoke:
     

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